An Italian court has ordered cities to stop recognising the existing overseas marriages of same-sex couples.
Italy’s highest administrative court annulled a ruling by a lower court which had earlier found in favour of cities from Rome to Naples and Milan which had registered such marriages, despite the fact Italy has no legal framework for same sex unions.
Over the past year a number of Mayors – including the Mayor of Rome have officially recognised the weddings of gay and lesbian couples overseas, despite threats from the government not to do so.
The court’s ruling was welcomed by Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, who issued an order last year banning the practice. “Let us be clear. Marriage between two people of the same sex is not contemplated under Italian law, therefore the transcriptions made by local mayors are illegal,” he said.
The news comes as an additional setback to GLBT rights activists in Italy, with a civil union bill before the Italian court unlikely to pass.
Article | Levi Joule.
